Former Corio Distillery Complex (Cheetham P/L) including former workers houses

The Cheetham Salt complex (former Corio Distillery) at 23A-35 Lowe Street is aesthetically significant at a REGIONAL level. Although altered in some parts, the complex demonstrates several original design qualities of the interwar period. These qualities include the unpainted red brick and cement render stripped Classical building, several interwar reinforced concrete hipped and gabled, multi-storey warehouse, still house, malthouse and other outbuildings, small scale brick and horizontal weatherboard buildings, early red brick chimney stack and the two surviving, rendered interwar Bungalow houses with hipped tiled roofs, timber framed double hung windows, flat roofed project porches supported by rendered brick piers with painted brick soldier course cappings, as well as wide eaves and exposed rafters, and unpainted brick chimneys. The substantial Norfolk pine tree, avenue of trees and brick entrance piers and gates also contribute to the aesthetic significance of the place.

The Cheetham Salt complex (formerly the Corio Distillery) at 23A-35 Lowe Street is historically significant at a STATE level. It is associated with the development of a distillery works for the Distillers' Corporation Pty Ltd, as a major contributor to employment and economic development in Geelong and more broadly, to Victoria. The complex has associations with Messrs Hare and Hare, consulting architects for its design and construction.

Overall, the Cheetham Salt complex (formerly the Corio Distillery) at 23A-35 Lowe Street is of STATE significance.

Recommendation: It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan be carried out on the site to determine a more detailed significance of the complex, to ensure that appropriate future development is undertaken with respect to the significant fabric.

References

Our New Industry: Distillery at North Shore, Builders to be Started within Three Months, in the Geelong Advertiser, 9 April 1927.

Geelong's Industrial Progress, Auspicious Opening of Distillery at Corio, in the Geelong Advertiser 22 March 1929.

Opening of Corio Distillery: All Residents are Cordially Invited, in the Geelong Advertiser 20 March 1929.

I.Wynd, 'Corio: the Final Years', unpublished manuscript, Geelong Historical Records Centre; pp. 4-5.

Drainage Plans & Inspectors' Reports, 1978, Barwon Water Profis system

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House